2010: Mibiton once again invests 2 million euros in the Dutch Life Sciences Infrastructure.
13-1-2011
|
|
|
CONTENT
|
|
The Hague, 14 January 2011
Revolving Mibiton Funds once again invest 2 million euros in the Dutch Life Sciences Infrastructure
In 2010 Mibiton once again invested 2 million euros in the Dutch Life Sciences Infrastructure. In total, the Mibiton Board - consisting of Denise van den Berg, Bart Bergstein, Hans van den Berg, Evert Jacobsen and Colja Laane (chairman) - approved six investment proposals in the regions Leiden, Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Wageningen. Please find a summary of each investment hereafter.
With these investments immature SMEs are being supported to finance expensive equipment or facilities in stead by using equity capital or commercial bank loans. Our Solo and Share funds are specifically designed to support early stage SMEs having difficulties to finance an expanding infrastructure. For young innovative Dutch Life Sciences start-up companies, still incubating within the environment of the University or Academic Medical Centre, we recently designed a so-called Mibiton Science Fund. If you have an interest to explore the possibilities to finance infrastructure through Mibiton, please contact the investment manager Kees Recourt.
|
|
|
|
Leiden Investments (k€ 800)
ISA Pharmaceuticals and Prosensa Therapeutics: Synthetic Peptide Facility
In December 2010, the board approved the Mibiton Share proposal of ISA Pharmaceuticals B.V and Prosensa Therapeutics B.V., which are both situated at the Leiden BioSciences Park.
The Shared Life Sciences facility involves a state-of-the art peptide synthesis unit, also including purification and analysis equipment. The peptide synthesis facility will be installed at the premises of the Leiden BioPartner Centre.
ISA Pharmaceutics is an innovative clinical stage company focusing on the development of immunotherapeutics. By using the breakthrough 'synthetic long peptides' (SLP®) technology, the company is developing novel treatments to treat cancer patients. ISA's lead compound in clinical development is an immunotherapeutic product to combat human papilloma virus-induced diseases in general and for cervical cancer and vulvar intraepithelial neoplasias (VIN) in particular. According to CEO Gerard Platenburg, the peptide synthesis facility will enable ISA to develop in-house synthesizing capabilities enabling the physical, chemical and biological characterization of preclinical drug leads. "This peptide synthesizing facility will significantly reduce our preclinical development track", he says.
Prosensa Therapeutics is an innovative Dutch biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of RNA modulating therapeutics correcting gene expression in diseases with largely unmet medical needs, in particular neuromuscular disorders. Prosensa's focus is on developing a treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Richard Holslag, VP Manufacturing, comments: "our primary purpose of investing in peptide synthesizing capacity is to increase the screening capability for conjugates of oligonucleotides and synthetic peptides. This facility will pave the way for novel RNA modulating therapeutics in unmet medical needs, like Myotonic Dystrophy and Huntington's disease".
∧ Top |
|
|
|
FlexGen: Flex Arrayer Stations
In March 2010, the Board approved the Mibiton Solo application of Flexgen, which is an innovative biotech company based in Leiden, the Netherlands.
The company is a spin-off from Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC) and Dutch Space (part of EADS) and has proprietary technologies for laser based in-situ synthesis of oligonucleotides and other biomolecules. FlexGen commercializes the FlexArrayer, a bench-top instrument for custom microarray and oligopool synthesis. The company works at the forefront of innovative microarray and oligopool applications.
Mibiton finances several Flexarrayers, which are currently validated at several international Genomics Centres for specific applications. "The Flexarrayer offers researchers great flexibility in designing and producing custom oligopools to perform targeted genomic research", says Fred Dom, CEO of Flexgen: "Once a specific oligonucleotide pool has been produced, it can be used up to 350 times, which is advantageous when analyzing large numbers of samples."
∧ Top |
|
Henk Viëtor,
Skyline Diagnostics'
Chief Executive Officer |
|
Rotterdam Investments (k€ 700)
Skyline Diagnostics, Erasmus Medical Centre and Sanquin: AML Profiler micro array analyser systems
In October 2010, the Mibiton Board approved the Share investment of Skyline Diagnostics, Erasmus Medical Centre and the Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation.
Skyline Diagnostics with its headquarters in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, develops and markets array-based diagnostic tests using gene signatures for personalized medicine. The company has successfully translated several important scientific discoveries into diagnostics. These products, called Profilers, are based on gene expression and offer a great additional clinical value.
The Share investment enables these partners to acquire 5 microarray analyzer systems to support a large multi-site trial aimed at registering the AMLprofiler diagnostic device for patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. The VALID trial, involving 6 renowned sites in Europe and the USA, is expected to result in a full Pre-Market Approval by the American Food and Drug Administration towards the end of 2011. "We are very pleased with this crucial financial support from Mibiton, enabling us to pioneer the path towards regulatory approval for this new generation of diagnostic tests." says Henk Viëtor, Skyline Diagnostics' Chief Executive Officer, "Regulatory approval of the AMLprofiler at the highest level will mean that leukemia patients worldwide will be able to benefit from this unique test."
∧ Top |
|
|
|
River Diagnostics: Spectracell Bacterial Strain Analysers
During the third quarter of 2010, Mibiton approved the 'Solo' financing of additional Spectracell Bacterial Strain Analysers produced by River Diagnostics. River Diagnostics uses the vast potential of Raman spectroscopy for cell and tissue characterization to create and bring innovative solutions for unmet (clinical) need to the market.
The SpectraCellRA® Bacterial Strain Analyser provides immediate functional information on the microorganisms involved in contamination of hospitals, and food or in community epidemics. This information is critical to ensure that appropriate and specific preventive and corrective actions can be taken. When used as part of an active surveillance program, SpectraCellRA® can alert teams to manage contamination by resistant or virulent strains of bacteria thereby helping to prevent or limit its spread.
"The additional financing of Mibiton enables us to enter into attractive collaborations with novel customers applying the Spectracell Raman Analysers", and "Especially these early adapting customers will allow us to enter the market of clinical diagnostics" says Bas Dirkson, CEO of River Diagnostics.
∧ Top |
|
|
|
Amsterdam Investments (k€ 350)
FeyeCon (Weesp, The Netherlands):
Microalgae extraction and purification facility
In March 2010, the Board approved the Solo investment of FeyeCon BV (Weesp, the Netherlands). FeyeCon specializes in developing and manufacturing new, improved and more cost effective products and processes using carbon dioxide technology. Amongst others, carbon dioxide is used to extract natural food compounds from microalgae, such as omega-3 fatty acids.
The Mibiton investment involves extraction and purification facilities enabling the isolation of high value compounds from algae species. "This investment allows us to scale up our innovative algae production platform", says Geert Woerlee, CEO of the spin of company CleanAlgae. "It is our ambition to produce microalgae on a large commercial scale, allowing us to produce the high value compounds for various markets such as hatcheries, the food industry and the sustainable energy market".
∧ Top |
|
|
|
Wageningen Investments (k€ 250)
Delphi BioScience (Scherpenzeel, The Netherlands): Delphi Selfscreener production facility
In the fourth quarter of 2010, the Mibiton Board approved the Solo investment of Delphi BioScience. Delphi Bioscience develops screening solutions for vaginal and cervical infections and focuses on an innovative sampling device with unique female-friendly characteristics: the Delphi Screener.
During recent years, the first generation of the Delphi Screener has been clinically validated and is now becoming the world's leading device for self screening purposes. On the basis of extensive testing, a second generation device has been developed, which will form the basis for a market launch in South-East Asia and Europe.
Rene Hol, CEO of Delphi BioScience, comments: "The Mibiton financing of our novel Delphi Screener production facility will accelerate our development program, enabling us to enter the international market for cervical cancer screening in 2011."
∧ Top
|
|
|
Tags:
|
